Shipping-receptacle.



w. F/WRIGHT.

SHIPPING RECEPTACLE. I APPLlCATION FILED OCT. 6. 1914.

1,200,688. Patented 00c. 10,1916.

O O O INVENTOR.

WILLIAM F. WRIGHT, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

SHIPPING-RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed. October 6, 1914. Serial No. 865,285.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM F. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping- Receptacles, of which the following is a clear description, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the following specification.

This invention has a general reference to the art of shipping, and more specifically to that portion of the art that abounds in collapsible shipping receptacles, and still more specifically to cages or coops for chickens, game or other small livestock. Any specific reference, extracted from the above, however, is not intended to give the following specification limitations.

It is an object ofthe invention to provide a receptacle for shipping, and one which can be rigidly maintained in an operative posi tion, at will, and with ease collapsed, at will, into compact form, and, in such manner maintained and shipped, as a return, so that greater numbers of these returns can be placed in a shipping compartment. These and additional and equally important objects of the invention will appear from a further reading of the following specification, especially when taken in connection with the sheet of drawing that accompanies and forms a part of the same.

The structural capacity of the invention is sufiicient to warrant manufacture along diversified lines, and one of such manufactures is protrayed upon the sheet of drawings, whereon,

Figure 1 is an elevation view of a coop or crate made in accordance with the principles of this invention; Fig. 2 is a view in elevation, showing the former structure partially collapsed; Fig. 3 is a view in elevation showing the coop collapsed; Fig. 4 is a view of a section of the coop in which the door is formed, also showing the hinges attached ready for attachment to the floor of the coop; Fig. 5 is an end view of the coop, with the netting not shown, so that other more important parts may be more clearly seen; Fig. 6 is a view of a cross bar, a number of them being secured to the underside of the top frame of the coop, and Fig. 7 is a view of the hinge that may be used in connection with the coop.

In these views, similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the view on the drawing.

Rising from a base or floor 7, are two endrails 8-and 9, serving purposes hereafter to be made clear, and also to form supports to which the floor is attached.

Hinged, as by the hinge shown in Fig. 7 although any method of hinging may be adopted, are side-frames 10 and 11, properly fitted as to length to neatly take be-' tween the said end rails 8 and 9. The plate 12 of the hinge, being secured to the side frames while the tines 13 are passed into the floor 7 and overturned and clenched at the under side of said floor. These side frames are of a sufiicient dimension to allow them to lay upon the floor without interfering with each other, when the coop is in a knocked-down position. In this connection, also, it will be noticed that the end rails 8 and 9 are of sufiicient height to permit the end frames 14:, hinged in any suitable manner to the end rails 8 and 9 to take on top of the side frames 10 and 11 so that all four frames will lie perfectly fiat when the coop is collapsed.

A top frame 15 is provided for the coop and its lengthwise bars 16 are each provided with laterally extended pins or studs 17, these being located at each extremity of each bar. At equidistantly disposed points on the top rail 18 of the end frames 14: are members 19 adapted to engage with these pins or studs when all the frames are in perpendicular position, thus holding the top in place.

On the underside of the top frame 15, are cross bars 20, that on their under extreme ends are grooved or notched, as at 21. While this set of bars may be made in any suitable manner, it may be desirable to enlarge the ends that they may the more positively nest into notches 22 formed in the top rails of the side frames 10 and 11. These frames are covered with suitable wire or netting 23. In the netting of one of the side frames, for instance 11, an opening is formed by severing the intermediate strands. To the opening a door is applied. This door may be made in any suitable manner, and in the present instance, is formed of wire, having the upright strands formed around the upper strand, while the lower extremities of these upright strands bear against the inner side of the lower strand, thus creating a trap door to be pushed in. when n erti g fowl, and when released, to drop against the inside of the lower strand.

Attached to the strands of the end frames and the top frame are chains 240 so that the top is properly and movably associated with the end frames.

The operation is as follows: When the top frame 15 is lifted from its nested position (shown in Fig. 3) on the side and end frames, the latter are placed in upright position, and the fastening means, carried on the extremities of the bars 16 are brought into engagement with the fastening means carried on the tops of the end frames. Thus the top cannot get out of place. The side frames then one by one are raised and snapped into place, the bars 20 taking into the notches 22 while studs 2i seated in the base of said notches take up into the grooves 21 cut laterally across the bars. Thus the coop becomes self locking against collapse and is ready for use, and by the construction illustrated it will be noted that the same cannot in that position rock or canter because each part is properly fitted to the other and held in place as fully set forth, will produce rigidity and firmness. hen it is desired to collapse the structure, the top is sprung upward until the bars 20 leave the studs 24: in the base of the notches 22. Then the sides are turned in and down, the ends on top of them, and finally the top on top of the nested frames. lVhen this is accomplished, then hooks 25 hung to the strands of the end frames are made to take over the strands on the top frame and the collapsed structure is held in a solid collapsed pack and ready for shipment.

It is to be observed in this connection that with the detail construction given it is apparent that a practical cage or coop can be made, however, the precise method of accomplishing the desired result is not necessary and the construction may be varied at will so long as the essence of the invention is maintained.

Having thus described this invention, I claim:

1. A device of the kind set forth, comprising a base, two end frames, and two side frames hinged to the upper side of the base, and when upright, forming a cage about the base, the side frames being adapted to turn in and upon the base and the end frames in and upon the side frames, a top frame to rest upon the upper edges of said frames when in upright position, fastening means carried both by the top frame and the end frames for locking the top to the end frames when the same are in upright position, bars on the underside of the top frame, notches in the top rail of the side frames and to receive the bars, fastening devices in the base of the notches, and recesses in the bars to receive the fastening devices, all contributing to maintain the structure in upright rigid position at will.

2. A device of the kind set forth comprising a base, inturning movably mounted sides, and ends adapted to assume an upright position thereon, said ends being supported by the sides, a top, bars on the underside thereof, notches in the sides to coact with the bars, the bars having transverse cuts, and the notches being provided with devices to maintain the structure in rigid and operative position.

Signed at the city, county and State of Oklahoma, this 2nd day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fourteen.

WILLIAM F. WRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

